Quote:
Originally Posted by endeitz
Here is my chance to ask a dumb question. Why is regular lawn fertilizer not considered "water soluble". Are there fillers in it that genuinely do not break down in water? Would the bottom of your tank end up full of muck?
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When a fertlizer is not water soluble, it
does not mean that it won't break down with water and other minerals over time. A water soluble fertilizer is one that immediately dissolves in water, up to a given number of grams or pounds per gallon or liter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by endeitz
Another question: where did you purchase, or how did you make your fertigation systems? I am interested in these for both banana and citrus, but have never tried them. I already have a drip system in place.
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You will find them both online and at a commercial irrigation or agricultural supply house. In selecting a fertigator, you need to consider (1) how often you wish to fertlize, (2) how many grams or pounds of fertilizer you wish to deliver each feeding [as a rule, you need net 1 pound Nitrogen per mature semi-dwarf fruit tree or banana per year], (3) what capacity tank that will require, and (4) what flow rate that will require. If you need more help with that let's start a Fertigator thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by endeitz
Comment on micronutrients: When citrus are grown in the ground, micronutrients are typically not a definite need, unless your soil has proven historically deficient. I do not know if this is the case with growing bananas, but I would think it is somewhat similar, since both bananas and citrus are heavy feeders. I do not know if sunfish is growing in the ground or in pots.
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Depending on the plants and soil, micronutrients need to be replaced every 1 to 2 years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by endeitz
Comment on acidity: It is fun to get a cheap pH meter, and test your soil periodically. In Central TX, (where I grow all manner of things with varying degrees of success) the soil is naturally very alkaline (as is the city water), so acidic fertilizers and acidic amendments (such as peat moss) can be very helpful in keeping the pH in that "sweet spot" of 5-7 (at least for citrus and according to FAO, bananas as well).
Cheers,
Ed.
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This thread might also help:
your pH meter might be broken if ...
Anyone happen to know an answer to this question:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
...
Both Chong and I have in-line fertilization tanks that are attached to our irrigation systems (fertigators), so water-soluble products are of great interest to us. We have also discovered "Grow More 20-5-30" which has a nice array of micronutrients. The retail price here in San Diego CA is $40 per 25 lb bag. For comparison purposes, that's ($40 / 25 lbs) / 20% N = $8 per pound of Nitrogen. Does anyone know of a similar product that is less expensive?
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